Flashlight device



Jan. 22, 1935.

G. i-. PRIDEAUX FLASH LIGHT DEVICE Filed July 29, 1952 JAM ENTE SW11; Y'M F." PRIUEAUX' .His ATT'UA may I Patented Jan. 22,1935

Gwilym F. Prldeaux,

South Euclid, Ohio, time to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application July 29, 1932, Serial No. 625,988

1 0laim. 101.240-1051) My invention relates to illuminating devices and particularly to portable battery or flashlight lamps The principal object of my invention is to provide such a lamp which will be of simple I andinexpensive construction. Battery lamps as made at the present time comprise a dry batteryor cell, a light to my invention, the casing is dispensed with and further, the battery and the light source, such 10 as an incandescent lamp, are constructed as a single, permanent unit which may be discarded in its entirety when the battery becomes exhausted.

'Other features and advantages of my inven.

15 tion will appear from the following description of species thereof and from the drawing.

In the drawing 1 is a perspective view of a flashlight lamp comprising my invention; Fig. 2 is a partly sectioned elevation thereof; Fig. 3 is a partly sectioned elevation of a modification; and Fig. 4 is a partly sectioned elevation of another modification.

As shown in Figs-1 and 2, the dry battery comprises a container 10 within which are dis- Said container 10, which is generally made of zinc and serves as one of the electrodes, has a portion 11 which extends beyond the surface 12 of thepitch or other seal of the battery. The incandescent lamp-portion of the device preferably comprises a bulb having a thickened or lens portion 13, such as disclosed in United States patent application Serial No. 584,063, Pipkin. Said lens portion 13 preferably consists of a spherical ball of glass and has a downwardly depending neck portion 14 fused thereto. A filament 15, sealed in said neck portion 14, is mounted on inner lead wires 16-17 which pass through and are sealed in said neck portion and terminate in outer lead wires 18-19. The outer lead wire 19 is connected to the center terminal 20 of the battery and the lead wire '18 passes through .a short length of tubing 21, preferably-of rubber, which extends through a hole 22 inthe extended por- 45 tion 11 of the container 10 and projects a short distance therebeyond. Sealing cement 23 is poured into the portion 11, the lamp is pushed down to insert the lower portion of the neck-14 therein, and the top of said extended portion 11 50 is crimped as at 24 to justcover the largest diameter of the spherical lens 13. A button 25 is connected to the end of the lead wire 18. The section of rubber tubing 21 which projects beyond the container serves as a spring-to hold the circuit open. When the button 25 is depressed it source and a casing. According posed the other battery elements (not shown).-

contacts with said container 10- 11, thus closing the circuit and lighting the filament 15. The in side of the rubber tubing 21 is preferably made sufllciently' larger in diameter than the lead-in wire 18 to allow for the small-movement neces- V sary when depressing the button 25 to close thecircuit. The unit may be made'quite attractive by coloring the container or otherwise applying various designs thereon.

It may be desirable battery with the cementing-in of the lamp as shown in Fig. 3 wherein the sealing cement 23 in which the lamp 13-14 is set serves simultaneously as the battery seal. Said cement 23 is poured in the container 10 onto a disc 25' which may be of cardboard. i Said disc 25 rests on a bibulous'sack 26 which contains the battery mix 27 and is'saturated with a chemical such as salammoniac'orzinc chloride which comprises the electrolyte. A carbon electrode 28 is disposed in the battery mix 27 and has a metal cap 29 on the end thereof to which the lead wire 19 may be attached.

The modified species shown in Fig.4 comprises a standard miniature cell 30 together'with a lamp 13-14'having thelead wire 18 fastened to the center terminal 31 .of said cell and mounted in sealing cement-.32. A translucent cap 33 having a hole 34therein is placed over the lamp 13-14 and extends over the upper part 30 of the cell 30. The hole 34 is of a slightly smaller diameter than the spherical lens 13 thereby pre.-- venting the cap 33 from slipping past said lens. Said cap 33 may be afllxed to the cell 30 by means of a cement. The switching arrangement is dif- 35 ferent than that in Fig. 2 and comprises a button-35 having two prongs 36-37 attached thereto andprojecting into the cap 33 through a hole 38. The prong 37 is bent down and fastened to the container ofthe cell 30 while the prong 36 extends horizontally to within 'a short distance of the neck 14 of the lamp. A ball of solder 39 is fixed tothe outwardly projecting portion of the lead wire 17 adjacent to the neck 14. When the button 35 is depressed a hooked portion 40 -on the end of the prong 36 contacts with the ball of solder 39 to close the circuit andlight the filament 15. The translucent cap-33 consists preferably of celluloid or of a synthetic resin such as the urea orthiourea compounds. Examples of such resins are those commercially known as Beetle and Elaskon'. Cellulose compounds may also be used such as the acetate, nitrate or benzoate. 'Ihe sealing cement 32 may also comprise the battery sealas in Fig. 3. as

to combine the seal of the 10" through an opening in the wall of said container. the second leading-in wire of said lamp extending outwardly through said elastic tube, and a metal can disposed at the outward end of said tube and connected to said second leading-in wire, said elastic tube normally holding said cap away from said container but allowing said cap to be pressed against said container to close the circuit through said lamp.

GW'ILYM F. PRIDEAUX. 

